Gerri Colombe amongst horses to follow as jumps season gets going

While the flat racing season is still dominating the racing headlines, it's worth turning our focus to the ante-post betting scene for the upcoming Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National, to snap up the early value on offer. A horse winning both races has been a rarity over the years, yet Noble Yeats' achievements appear to have paved the way for a surge of contenders aiming to accomplish this double feat.

Noble Yeats etched his name into the annals of history in 2022 by becoming the first seven-year-old since World War II to clinch victory in the Grand National. Doubts loomed when he squared off against the elite in the Gold Cup nearly a year later, but his stamina proved key as he came through the field to secure an impressive fourth place. He followed up with another commendable fourth-place finish in the National in April despite carrying over a stone more than when he won the famous race.

A glimpse at the frontrunners on grandnational.org.uk hints at the prospect of another audacious double attempt as a nine-year-old. And Noble Yeats, priced at 33/1 for each race, is joined by at least three other hopefuls who might tread the same path in the coming year.

Corach Rambler

A prime contender is the most recent Grand National winner, Corach Rambler, who also stands as the early 20/1 favourite for 2024, despite the likelihood he’ll have to carry far more weight. Whether he’ll also have a tilt at the Gold Cup remains unclear, but it appears a logical progression following consecutive victories in the Ultima Handicap. Corach Rambler is priced at 20/1 to clinch a trio of wins at the Cheltenham Festival.

Fastorslow

The most recent National winners, Corach Rambler and Noble Yeats, both travelled to Aintree after using the Cheltenham Festival's Ultima Handicap as a warm-up, prompting us to explore other contenders who were in the mix in the same race. While Corach Rambler secured back-to-back Ultima wins in 2022 and 2023, it was no walk in the park, with March's victory coming by a mere neck from Fastorslow.

If Fastorslow's debut over three miles or more proved promising, he further validated his potential in longer-distance races by capturing the Punchestown Gold Cup as a 20/1 underdog, besting the likes of Gold Cup victor Galopin Des Champs.

With odds at 20/1 for the Gold Cup and 25/1 for the National, Fastorslow emerges as a compelling prospect as the new jumps season takes flight.

Gerri Colombe

Though a mere seven-year-old, Gerri Colombe boasts an impressive record with nine victories from ten races. A narrow setback in the Brown Advisory is the sole blip, offset by his triumphant comeback in April's Mildmay Chase, where he secured a commanding 7½-length win on his Aintree debut.

The intentions of Gordon Elliott guide Gerri Colombe's trajectory, while betting platforms have firmly placed their bets. Set at an enticing 8/1 as the Gold Cup's second favourite, it's a price that may prove irresistible to many, given that his odds have never exceeded 6/4 before.